Survival vessel



July 17, 1962 F. D. GORDON 3,044,082

SURVIVAL VESSEL Filed May 23. 1960 s Sheets-Sheet 1 Events: Frank 0. Gordon F. D- GORDON SURVIVAL VESSEL Filed May 23. 1960 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 1.15 n 115 75 5: 119 i ii 4 fizz-22:20.2" Frank 0- Gordon 124 av July 17, 1962 F. D. GORDON 3,04

SURVIVAL VESSEL Filed May 23, 1960 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 i -1 \4 g Q Q l u R *P Q I Frank 0. Gordon States This invention relates to a survival vessel, and more particularly to a vessel which is adapted to be carried by a larger vessel and which may be used as a lifeboat in high seas so as to protect the occupants.

One of the problems encountered with rescue and survival vessels of the type indicated has been that of seasickness; and furthermore, no suitable protection fro the elements has generally been afiorded.

The present invention meets these problems by providing a survival vessel which is enclosed, and is provided with ingress and egress means of a secure type, as well as breathing and ventilation means adapted to prevent water from entering the vessel.

In accordance with the invention, a cradle-like structure is mounted for relative rotational movement with respect to a hull structure as guided by track means, so that the efiect of the action of the waves on the vessel and its occupants is markedly reduced. Seats are formed along the cradle structure, and brake means are provided to lock the cradle to the hull when ingress or egress is desired, or otherwise. Furthermore, pump means are afforded which cooperate with means for journalling the cradle in the hull, and the vessel is provided with ballast means including tank means for receiving the bilge pumped from the interior of the vessel by the said pump. Thus the vessel can be weighted to a desired extent, and is provided with anti-roll keel means coacting with the ballast means to stabilize the vessel, so that it may be used for extended periods of time without essential hardship to personnel.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a survival vessel which is effective to mitigate the motion produced by waves, and affords complete protection against heavy seas and storms.

Another object of the invention is to provide a survival vessel with an interior support cradle in which personnel may be seated and which is journalled to the exterior or hull of the vessel in a manner which is controllable by brake means or the like and which reduces or eliminates the effect of rolling of the vessel.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device as described which is fitted with ingress and egress hatches and a snorkel type breathing apparatus so that adequate ventilation is afforded at all times.

Yet another object of the invention is to provide ballast means including means for pumping out the interior of the survival vessel into ballast tanks and means for filling and draining the ballast tanks.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent as the description proceeds in accordance with the drawings in which:

On the drawings- FIGURE 1 is a side elevational view of a survival vessel according to the present invention;

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged end elevational view of the vessel shown in FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a vertical sectional view taken along the line IIIIII of FIGURE FIGURE 4 is an enlarged view, partly broken away, taken along the elevation of FIGURE 5 and showing brake means for use with the vessel;

FIGURE 5 is an enlarged vertical sectional view in the longitudinal direction of the structure shown in FIG- URE 1, and partly broken away;

3,044,082 Patented July 17, 1962 FIGURE 6 is an enlarged vertical sectional view of journal and pump means for use in the structure shown in FIGURE 5; and

FIGURE 7 is an enlarged vertical sectional view of drainage control means shown in FIGURE 5.

As shown on the drawings:

Referring now to the drawings, and to FIGURES 1, 2, 3 and 5 in particular, a survival vessel 10 is shown according to the present invention which includes a hull 12 of generally cylindrical configuration which may be provided with an elongate lower portion 14 and an upper relatively shorter housing portion 16. The lower portion 14 has anti-roll keel plates 18 and 20 formed thereon which extend downwardly, inwardly and upwardly relative to the hull portion 14, and are perforated to damp the action of the waves and water motion on the vessel. These stabilizing keel plates are spaced apart from one another by a predetermined amount so that the damping action occurs in each direction of roll.

Ladder structures 22 and 24 may be provided for deck portions 26 and 28 formed at the upper surface of the elongate lower portion 14, and these ladders 22 and 24 may be formed integrally with end and side rail structures 27 and 29.

As seen in FIGURE 2, end walls such as the end wall 30 are provided in the upper portion 16 and end hatches 32 and 34 are connected thereto by suitable pivotal support means 36 for control by hatch wheels 38. Escape scuttles 4t and 42 are formed at the top of the structure 14 and may be controlled by suitable latching means (not shown) in accordance with the understanding of those skilled in the art.

In order to provide for lifting and lowering the survival vessel with respect to a larger sea going vessel on which it may be carried, lifting lugs 43 and 44 are formed at the upper surface of the upper portion or housing structure 16, and to complete the housing structure windows of Plexiglas or'the like; such as indicated at 46 and 48 may be formed at each side thereof and suitably reinforced by frame means as shown.

As seen particularly in FIGURES 5 and 7, ballast tanks 50 and 52 are formed at the outer ends of the lower hull portion 14, beneath the decks 26 and 28, and manhole means 54 and 56 are formed in the said decks to aiford access thereto. Deck drainage is accomplished by means of the said manhole structures 54 and 56, and drainage of the ballast tanks 50 and 52 is provided by drain control rods 58 and 60 having wheels 62 and 64 at their upper ends and threaded on nut means or the like secured to the decks as indicated at 66 and 68 to control stopper elements 70 and 72 as more particularly seen in FIGURE 7. Thus the lower ends of the said rods carry enlarged Valve plates 74 for this purpose, and spiders 75 aiford flow to or from the tanks. Filling of the tanks may be accomplished during use of the vessel by opening the stopper elements, and drainage is afforded after use in the same manner.

In accordance with the invention, a cradle 76 is mounted within the hull structure 12 by means of journal pipes 78 and 80 fixedly secured in end plates 82 and 84 of the said cradle and having sleeves such as the sleeve 86 engaging a ball race structure 88 or the like on a circular bearing mount 89 secured to a ballast tank wall 90 in journalled relationship therewith. The pipes 78 and 80 have conduit means 91 and 92 connected thereto so that bilge in the interior of the cradle 76 may be pumped into the ballast tanks 50 and 52 by manually operable pumps 93 and 94. Desirably, two cradle portions 95 and 96 are provided each associated with one of the said pumps, and a circular track 97 is formed by a buttressed flange 97a centrally around the interior of the hull 12, the center of the track being preferably displaced downwardly relative to the center or axis of the hull and in register with the journal point provided by the said pipes. Rollers such as the rollers 98, 100, 102 and 104 are connected to plates such as the plates 106, 108, 110, 112 and 114 on the cradle portions 95 and 96, thereby to guide the movement of the cradle structure on the said track 97. At least one of these rollers is associated with brake means to carry the brake means therewith as shown, and in the embodiment shown in FIGURE 3, two such brake means are provided indicated by reference numerals 115 and 116 for the rollers 100 and 102.

Referring now to FIGURE/4, the brake means 115 may be seen to include a pedal 117 journalled on a pivot bar 118 and having a bell crank portion 119 slidably engaged in a bracket =120 of a link 121 pivoted to a clutch hub 122. Thus movement downwardly of the pedal 117 efiects movement of a clutch element 123 into engagement with 'a clutch element 124 on the roller to produce a braking action. Detent means 125 are pivoted to the pedal 117 to engage with a ratchet structure 126 on the brake housing 127 in order to afiord a locked relationship between the cradle 76 and the hull 12 when desired and a lever 125a may be formed on the detent to facilitate operation thereof.

Also in accordance with the invention, the interior of the cradle 76 may be provided with seats 128 and 130 beneath which cupboards 132 and 134 may be formed for receiving the gear of the occupants. Ventilation within the hull 12 is aiforded by a snorkel type ventilation tube 135, as seen more particularly in FIGURE 2 having a ball 136 adapted to block movement of water into the tube when high seas or like conditions prevail, the ball being normally disposed in a cage structure 138 to admit fresh air through the tube '135 into the hull. Pump means (not shown) may also be provided in conjunction with this structure if desired.

There has thus been provided a survival vessel which is exceptionally compact and rugged and adapted to protect the occupants during all conditions of sea and weather or the like. Although the action of the Waves on the external hull 12 may effect a certain amount of rolling action, the occupants are generally protected from such action by the pivotal mounting of the cradle 76 relative to the hull, it being noted in this connection that the journal point for the cradle is considerably below the axial center of the hull so that lateral shifting efiects and the amount of swaying adjustment of the cradle are minimized. Thus as the hull 12 rocks back and forth the weight of the occupants of the cradle will maintain the said cradle in a relatively uniform vertical position despite the said action of the hull. Further, a sea anchor (not shown) may be connected to an end of the vessel to align it with prevailing winds and the effect of the waves. However, the ballast within the hull and in the ballast tanks thereof, as well as the perforate keel structure and the downward, inward and upward configuration of the individual keel portions at the bottom of the vessel will also tend to damp the rolling movement of the hull itself.

Although I have herein described my invention with respect to certain specific principles and details thereof, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that these may be varied without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the hereunto appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. A survival vessel comprising a hull having a lower portion and an upper portion, transverse, longitudinally spaced walls cooperating with said hull to form an enclosure, access means for said enclosure, a cradle structure in said enclosure having end walls adjacent said trans verse Walls, pipe means extending through said adjacent walls, ballast tank means formed by said hull beyond said transverse walls and pump means for said pipe means to pump bilge and the like from said cradle structure to said ballast tank means, said pipe means journalling said cradle structure in said hull and having an elongated pipe extension approaching the floor of the cradle structure for removing the bilge therefrom.

2. A vessel comprising a hull, a transverse track in said hull, a cradle dimensioned to fit closely in said hull, wheel means on said cradle including a plurality of wheels engaging said track for guiding said cradle for rotation relative to said hull, means pivotally supporting said cradle for movement along said track, clutch means for brakingly restraining and then locking said wheel means and foot-operated pedal means for actuating said clutch means selectively, said clutch means being mounted for movement with the cradle along the track including a clutch plate on one of said wheels and a clutch plate movable by said pedal into and out of clutching engagement with said clutch plate on said wheel.

3. A vessel comprising a hull, having track means a cradle dimensioned to mounted in said hull, wheel means on said cradle engaging said track means for guiding said cradle for internal pivotal movement relative to said track means and said hull, said hull having means pivotally supporting said cradle for said pivotal movement and said movement along said track means, said Wheel means including at least one roller and said track means including at least one track guiding the roller, and clutch means for brakingly retarding and then locking said roller, said clutch means being mounted on said cradle to be carried with the roller.

' References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 674,597 Buckel May 21, 1901 675,269 Dunkel May 28, 1901 690,909 Mayo Jan. 7, 1902 899,672 Mayo Sept. 29, 1908 1,002,109 Zwerdling et al. Aug. 29, 1911 1,130,301 Fontaine Mar. 2, 1915 1,270,616 Hazelton June 25, 1918 1,321,541 Nelson Nov. 11, 1919 2,211,077 Schlums Aug. 13, 1940 2,417,863 Deady Mar. 25, 1947 2,508,068 Lasseter May 16, 1950 2,757,629 Wiltse a Aug. 7, 1956 2,878,899 Kramcsak Mar. 27, 1959 FOREIGN PATENTS 1,001,146 Germany Jan. 17, 1957 

